The city crime branch made a breakthrough on Sunday by arresting three individuals linked to a series of mobile phone thefts. The accused, Prakash Namdev, Rahul Nayak, and Shiv Bhoi, were allegedly targeting scooters parked outside examination centres of schools and colleges, where they would steal phones from unattended vehicles.
The investigation was initiated after a complaint was filed by a BBA student on May 7. He reported that his mobile phone was stolen from his scooter’s dickey while he was attending an exam at the centre. Following the complaint, a case was registered under Section 303(2) of the BNS, and a team was set up to track the culprits.
Based on a tip-off, the crime branch arrested the trio from various locations in the city: Prakash Namdev from Neelkanth Colony, Rahul Nayak from Dewas, and Shiv Bhoi from the Juna Risala area. During questioning, the accused reportedly admitted to committing the thefts. The police managed to recover 10 stolen mobile phones, including the one taken from the complainant.
According to the arrested individuals, they specifically targeted scooters outside examination centres, knowing that students would be inside for hours, providing them the perfect opportunity to steal phones from the dickeys without detection.
